Now Spamalot! What Is Going On?
Spamalot is the latest West End musical to cast via a reality TV show. When Hannah Waddingham leaves the show, her replacement as the Lady of the Lake is to be found through a new reality show, West End Story - on Swedish TV!
No, that isn’t a mistake. The producers are to find a new Lady of the Lake through a Swedish TV show.
According to the Official London Theatre Guide website, “Around 700,000 visitors from the musical theatre-loving nation of Sweden visit London every year. According to the press information, West End Story ‘not only seeks to uncover new talent but also to reflect the undeniable appeal of the West End as a global brand.’”
The news comes at the same time as ITV announced that Grease Is the Word was a ratings flop and they will not be doing anything similar in the near future, although they do not rule out returning to the format at some time. The BBC has also announced that it is looking for another musical to provide the successor to the much more successful Any Dream Will Do search for a Joseph.
Two thoughts occur. Clearly these shows have audience appeal, the Grease flop notwithstanding, and they also appeal to show producers because of the massive publicity they generate which will, they believe, translate into ticket sales The other thing, of course, is a re-affirmation - if it is needed! - that the big West End musicals have much more to do with tourism than with theatre.
As to whether they do theatre any good is a moot point. My own feeling is that, in the long run in spite of the increase in ticket sales, they don’t. I’ve rehearsed the arguments here before and others have responded with a different point of view, but I remain convinced that the appeal which enables an performer to win a TV talent show is not necessarily what is needed for someone who is to perform in a long-running musical. There will be exceptions, of course, but there will be disasters. No disaster has happened yet, but it’s early days…
And I still find it obnoxious that the private sense of unhappiness or even humiliation at failing an audition should be turned into mass entertainment.